More from Down Under

ENGAGEMENT PARTY

Because Mally and I and our family live in the USA, we usually miss out on special events associated with our close relatives in Australia, such as weddings etc.

We were thrilled to be able to attend an "Engagement Party" for my niece Kim. This is distinctively Australian---we've never seen such an event for an engagement in the USA. I've attached photos of the lovely couple, the cake and some of the attendees having a fun time.

Kim spent a number of weeks with us in the USA, Christmas 2003.    MADAGASCAR---THE MOVIE

Mally and I and some of our close relatives went to the movies to see Madagascar. It was certainly a humorous cartoon movie---but one section of it reminded me of what we teach at AiG concerning the relevance of creation.

During one segment, the movie featured the sound of Louis Armstrong singing that famous song, "What a Wonderful World." However, while Louis was singing the song, the movie showed various cartoon characters being eaten by savage creatures! What a reminder that it's not an ALL beautiful world now---it's a world with a remnant of beauty, but suffering the effects of sin (such as animals now eating each other).

It's interesting that one of the most asked questions we hear from non-Christians is "how can there be a loving God with all the death and suffering we see in the world." Of course, it's only if one understands the literal history of Genesis, that an answer can be given---it was once a beautiful world that was VERY GOOD, but our sin in Adam changed all that. Because of our sin, it is now a fallen world.

Anyhow, I thought it was interesting that I was stimulated to think about this by that particular segment of the movie. And Mally thought of exactly the same sorts of things when she saw that movie segment also---she's heard the relevance message so many times, so her response is not surprising.

I also picked up one subtle reference to evolution when one of the animals referred to the monkey as a "higher mammal." Most people probably would miss this---but we have learned to keep our "antennas" up looking for evolutionary influences in movies etc.

Interesting nonetheless!

Thanks for praying for AiG

Regards

Ken